


Blood Brother

by twistedrunes



Series: George [11]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Aftermath of Violence, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Guns, Hospitalisation, Mental Institutions, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Other, Pain, Suffering, Threats, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 14:03:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16975950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twistedrunes/pseuds/twistedrunes
Summary: You aren’t aware of Tommy’s presence until his hand is on your throat. You start, the book you had been flicking through falling from your fingers and thudding to the floor. You try to turn but he holds you firm, the muzzle of his gun pressed against your spine. His thumb and index finger press against the underside of your jaw, lengthening your neck uncomfortably, forcing you onto your tiptoes.





	Blood Brother

You smooth the dress over your hips and assess yourself critically in the mirror. The dark blue dress is simple but beautiful. But it just feels weird to be wearing a dress, you almost can’t recognise yourself. But it’s just so beautiful. You shake your head stunned that you were considering spending so much on a single dress. Which, you thought guiltily, based on your recent past experiences with dresses, would probably be a tacky bloody mess by the end of the evening.

Daisy stuck her head around the curtain looking you up and down “You look amazing.” She said slipping her hand into yours “Come and show Finn.” She said dragging you out to stand in front of the window. Finn was outside, smoking a cigarette having refused to step foot in another dress shop after a full morning of traipsing in and out of them, claiming you were getting too close to Small Heath and that someone might see him. Daisy knocks on the glass to get his attention and as he turns she waves her hands over you presenting you to him. Finn nods and gives you a double thumbs up. “See,” Daisy said pushing you back into the change room. “Plus I’ve found shoes, a coat, a fascinator, a purse and jewellery that will all match.” She enthused.

You join her at the counter as she plays with a pearl hair slide. The other things she had chosen for you piled high on the counter. The shopkeeper can barely contain herself when you tell her you will take everything. Daisy jumps up and down clapping her hands and you send her back out to Finn to wait for you. Once she is outside you add the hair slides she had been playing with to your purchases and ask the woman to wrap them separately.

Stepping out of the store you clear your throat to get Finn and Daisy’s attention as they gaze adoringly at each other. “Dear God.” You moan. “Here Finn, take this.” You hand him the parcel with your purchases to carry, along with the dress Daisy had chosen earlier in the day. You turn to Daisy “These are for you.” You say pushing the small package into her hands.

Daisy opens the package and pushes it back into your hands “No, I can’t. They were too expensive.” She says frowning.

You push them back into her hands, keeping your hands closed around hers “I never could have got through today without you. You deserve them. Plus they go with your dress.” You insist.

Daisy squeals and shows the slides to Finn, who agrees with her that yes they are beautiful. He takes them and puts them carefully in her bag, holding his arm out for her, positioning himself between her and the street. She wraps her arm around his and skips happily alongside him as they make their way down the street.  

Smiling, you fall a little behind, giving them their space. You place your hand on your stomach trying to calm the feeling of unease there. You couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that going to Tommy’s party as Anna was a bad idea. But you and Finn had an agreement.

An agreement that had been struck after another of your long conversations alone in the house when everyone else was out. Not long after he had introduced you to Daisy and sworn you to secrecy about her, you had told him about Tommy’s suggestion that you could be Anna and not George at work. It was something you had been thinking about ever since he had mentioned it. You and Finn had discussed the pros and cons at length. Finn finding your worry that Tommy wouldn’t let you wear pants anymore particularly hilarious, as he imagined you dressed in finery traipsing around the factory floor. Finally, you had decided that you would go back to being Anna, finding yourself tired of constantly having to think about how you walk, talk and mostly about when you could pee. You knew it would probably be difficult at first and that the guys in the factory would probably give you a hard time. But you felt confident that you could win them over again. Even without Tommy, Arthur and John knocking their heads together.

Finn and you had agreed that you would both reveal your secrets at Tommy’s birthday party. Both hoping that the party, with lots of people and alcohol, combined with the shock of both revelations at once would mean you’d all get through it relatively unscathed. So that’s how you had come to be dress shopping on the far side of Birmingham, dressed in Daisy’s mother’s far-too-large-for-you dress following along behind the two lovebirds. You smiled again watching Finn as he held Daisy’s hand helping her into the car. You actually laughed when he did the same for you.

\---------------

“Tommy’s party tonight,” John says strutting through the door of your workshop. His red ears a sure sign he had already started the festivities.  “Remember?” He says leaning over your shoulder to see what you’re working on.

“Yeah, I’m just going to finish this off and then head home to get ready. Finn and I are going to drive down together. He’s waiting for me at home.” 

“Wow, that’s beautiful,” John says reaching out towards the gun in your hand.

You slap the back of his hand “Keep your greasy mitts off.” You say moving it out of his grasp.  

John puts his hands over his head playfully “Alright, alright. What is it?”

“Tommy’s birthday present.” You say wiping it down.

“He’s gonna love it,” John says honestly. “so hurry up, hey.” He claps his hands together as he struts back out of the room.

You finish cleaning the gun. It’s the best thing you’ve ever made you admit to yourself. The gold, silver, platinum and pearl inlays you sourced from Alfie really brought it to life. You put it in the box you have made and wrap it in brown paper.

Finn is literally jumping from foot to foot when you get home “Where have you been?” He moans. “Your dress and stuff are on your bed.” He continues, ushering you towards the stairs.

“Finishing Tommy’s present.” You reply calmly. “I’m just going to wash up and get dressed.”

“Hurry up!” Finn urges.

You grin at him and straighten his bowtie. “You go get Daisy and I will be ready by the time you get back. Okay?”

“You better be waiting by the door.” He says

“Yes, Finn.” You reply, already halfway up the stairs.

 

You walk back into the sitting room, checking the clock, beginning to get concerned. Finn had been ages. Then you hear a horn tooting outside and you collect your purse and Tommy’s present from the hall stand and open the door. You fake a yawn to conceal your amusement at the sight of the dishevelled pair. It doesn’t take much imagination to work out why they have been delayed. Finn runs around the car and opens the door for you.

“Good evening Daisy. Lovely night, isn’t it?” You greet her.

“Yes, Anna, lovely. You look beautiful.” She says turning in her seat, her face flushed.

“You too Daisy, but I think you already know that don’t you.” You tease raising your eyebrows towards Finn as you fix the pearl slide which is falling out of her hair.  

Daisy blushes and Finn’s cheeks glow “Anna!” he cries.

 

“Finally!” Arthur calls seeing the car pull into Tommy’s drive. He and John wander over to greet you all.

You lean over the seat and put a hand each on the shoulders of Finn and Daisy. “Ignore everything they say.” You instruct them quietly. “If they get too much just come and get me, and I’ll sort them out. Alright?”

“Finn lad.” John exclaims sticking his head through the window of the car “How did you end up with two lovely women in your car?”

“Fuck me!” Arthur grunts

“Shut up you two.” You say stepping out of the car “Try and behave like gentlemen for once. Hey?”

“George?” Arthur slurs trying to get a better look at you in the twilight.

“Yes, but Anna for tonight, alright?” You say, placing your hands on Arthur’s and John’s shoulders turning them and guiding them back towards the house. With a final shove, you stop and wait for Finn and Daisy. Giving them both a quick peck on the cheek as they reach you “Well there’s no going back now.” You say with false confidence. You move to the other side of Finn and link your arm around his and the three of you walk up the drive to the house.

“Good evening Miss,” Arthur says, with a nod towards Daisy.

“Arthur, John, this is my girlfriend Daisy.” Finn says his chest puffing out with pride “Daisy these are two of my brothers, Arthur and John.”

“Well, it is a pleasure,” Arthur says kissing the back of Daisy’s hand. John nods in greeting and shakes Daisy’s hand.

“All right you two,” you give Finn a little push through the door “inside now and get Daisy a drink. Introduce her to Tommy and Pol.” You instruct. Finn nods and hurries Daisy inside.

You grab the backs of Arthur’s and John’s collars before they can follow. Spinning them to face you. You glare at them both “You will not do a single thing to embarrass that boy or to make Daisy think poorly of him. If you do, I will fucking hurt you.” You whisper menacingly.

“We’re just having a little fun.” John whines.

“No. Right? Fucking No.” You growl.

Arthur leans back against the door frame, swaying slightly “Fuck me.” He rumbles.

“I mean it, Arthur.” You threaten.

“No,” Arthur shakes his head “Fucking gorgeous.” He says looking you up and down and waving his cigar in your general direction.

You smile and give him a peck his cheek. “Thank you, Arthur. Now go find your wife.”

“Fucking right. Now everyone’s here. Time for me to give a fucking speech for my fucking little brother.” He announces loudly, striding through the house.

John gives a little bow and indicates for you to go before him “Ladies first.” He teases. You walk past him, with a little nod. “Come on,” John says putting his hand in the small of your back to guide you.

You stop “I just need the loo.” You whisper “I’ll be back in a minute.” 

You can hear Arthur behind you calling loudly for everyone to “Shut the fuck up.”

Slipping into Tommy’s office you hear clapping, cheering and rowdy cries of happy birthday. Then silence falls again, you assume Tommy is probably making some kind of speech. You put the box on Tommy’s desk, fiddling it into position in the middle of the leather blotter. You can’t help smiling a little as a rousing round of ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow’ seeps through the walls.

The smell of Tommy fills your nose, cigarettes, whiskey and gunpowder, everything about him is smoky. His scent seemingly as much feature of the room of the as the furniture. Your stomach is still churning, you feel awkward and exposed in your dress and heels. But as always, it’s the smell of Tommy that calms you. You’re half tempted to run upstairs and steal one of his suits and wear that instead. But you think of Finn and your agreement and take a deep breath.  You loiter, wanting the calm to last and find yourself drawn to the bookshelf, pulling books from the shelves to flick through the pages.

You aren’t aware of Tommy’s presence until his hand is on your throat. You start, the book you had been flicking through falling from your fingers and thudding to the floor. You try to turn but he holds you firm, the muzzle of his gun pressed against your spine. His thumb and index finger press against the underside of your jaw, lengthening your neck uncomfortably, forcing you onto your tiptoes. You spread your hands on the shelf to steady yourself.

His mouth presses to your ear, his breath humid on your skin, you can smell the fresh whiskey on his breath and the aftershave on his skin “This is a private party.” Tommy’s voice is more ominous than normal. You try to speak, but his hand holds your words in your throat. He hasn’t finished talking yet. “I know everyone here except you.”

You swallow hard, surprised to hear a small sigh from Tommy as your Adam’s apple presses against his palm. His voice maintains both its timbre and knife-like edge when he speaks again. “And you I find in my private office. Why?”

“Gift.” You manage to breathe, hand stretching past his hip, vainly trying to point to his desk. He either doesn’t notice or ignores your signal, not acknowledging that you have moved at all.

His teeth grate over your earlobe as he uses his body to press you against the shelves forcing you to turn your head uncomfortably. “A new whore for my birthday, how thoughtful.” He says offhandedly. The coldness of his words pushing you closer to the panic which is hovering around you. You shake your head but his grip only tightens, stopping both movement and sound. His foot slides between yours. His knee pressing between your thighs and moving up forcing your legs to part. He holsters his gun and places his now empty hand on your hip, his fingers slowly dragging the fabric of your dress up your leg.  

Hot tears well in your eyes, unable to get enough air to breathe, you can only will him to stop. You blink and a single tear bounces off your cheek and onto Tommy’s wrist. His grip on you loosens minutely “No.” you manage to squeak.

“Who the fuck do you work for?” He hisses releasing his grip a little more.

“You,” you reply, voice tremulous, more tears spilling onto your cheeks.

“And what is it you do for me, 'ey love?” His voice ice, disbelieving. He spins you to face him, with such force that your head cracks back against the shelves.

The jolt shocks you into action, unlocking your frozen limbs. You lash out at him. Fist connecting with his cheek. Your single stoned ring splitting the skin on the sharp angle of his cheekbone. His fingers rising instinctively to the injury and his eyebrows lifting in surprise to find a smear of blood.

“I’m a peaky fucking blinder.” You spit, glaring at him, just long enough to watch the realisation dawn on him, before you push him again, causing him to crash awkwardly into a chair and stumble. Finally free of his grasp you run for the door.

You hear Tommy call something at your retreating back, but it is cut off by the slamming of the door behind you. You don’t stop, desperate not to see a soul you run away from the party, racing down the servant’s stairs and bursting into the kitchen and through, past the startled staff, and out into the garden. The cold air punches you in the gut, forcing what air you did have in your lungs out. You fold in half, gasping. You can feel the sobs building in your chest and you stumble desperately towards the stables, looking for somewhere to hide, not wanting anyone to see you.

The noise of the party wafts across the grounds, loud music and happy voices. Tears half blinding you, you stumble into the stables where you walk headlong into a wall. “Fuck!” The wall grunts.

“What?” Another voice further away hisses.

“Some bitch from the party. Pissed by the looks of her.” The wall speaks again, you manage to lift your head and realise the wall is, in fact, a massive man. You turn and try to run. He grabs your wrist and yanks you back. You feel your shoulder pop and you cry out, pain blinding you.

“Shut her the fuck up!” The other voice yells.

You can barely stay on your feet, pain weakening your knees. The enormous man throws you on top of a hay bale, palm pressed against your mouth. His free hand punching your temple. You see stars but kick out desperately. Your feet find nothing but air. You feel around desperately with your good arm, the other stubbornly refusing to move. Finally, your hand makes contact with a hay hook. You swing it wildly. It catches the man and he yells out in pain, reefing the hook from your grasp.

“Bruce! Shut the fuck up! Let’s go!”

Bruce grunts in response and loosens his grip on you. You roll off the hay bale and begin scrambling towards the door. “Fuck.” You hear Bruce grunt behind you. Lights explode in your head, as fire shoots through your body and you fall. Pain radiates from your gut. Your hand wraps around the metal protruding from your stomach. The pain pulling your body into a ball. Horses’ hooves clatter around your head and then thunder away. You roll on your side, the metallic taste of blood filling your mouth.

You lie motionless for a long time. Encased in a cocoon of pain. Slowly your brain manages to pack the pain in on itself. This is how you survived Victor, packing the pain away. Live now, suffer later. You take hold of the hook, yanking it free. You scream with the release of it. You lay still again, mentally packing the pain up again. Pushing it down.

You need to move. You pull your legs up and use your good arm to crawl for the door. You notice the rake the boys use to muck out the stables. Using the walls for leverage you drag yourself up to a standing position and lean on the rake heavily with your good arm. The other flapping uselessly at your side. Shuffling you slowly pick your way across the gravel. Halfway the rake slips from under you and you slam into the ground. Stars spin around your head and you vomit. You groan and drag yourself along the gravel towards the kitchen door. Eventually reaching it you try banging on it, but no one answers. You drag yourself by your fingertips up the stonework of the door frame, grabbing at the handle, you try to turn it, but your hand, slick with blood, simply slides off causing you to lose your balance. You pitch forward, temple banging against the other side of the stone frame.

\---------------

“She’s lost too much blood.” The doctor says to Tommy, shrugging indifferently. “She won’t survive the night.”

“Then fucking transfuse her,” Tommy says coldly

“We don’t have the equipment.”

“A piece of tubing and two needles is all they needed in France,” John says joining his brother.

“We don’t have time for typing.”

“We’re all O type.” Arthur says joining his brothers “Tested us in fucking France.”

“So you can start with the three of us while you type the others,” Tommy says slipping off his jacket, his holster and gun becoming visible, Arthur and John follow his lead, none of them trying to conceal their guns. “Now.” Tommy snaps as he rolls up his sleeve.  

 

“She’s a fucking Shelby now.” Arthur jokes macabrely, rolling his sleeve down and moving aside for Michael to take his place in the chair next to your bed. “That’s four pints of Shelby, now one of Gray. She’ll be fucking telling fortunes in no time.”

\----------------

Finn carried his bouquet carefully through the halls of the hospital. He hoped you would be awake today. Properly awake, not screaming in terror like the last few times he’d been here. He’d been so relieved when you finally woke up a few weeks ago, but since then you’d been going downhill. 

His breath caught when he remembered yesterday. You had been screaming, crying, and fighting the doctors and nurses. Begging them not to give you any more morphine, telling them it brought Victor back. Once they had dosed you with morphine you had lain in the bed, looking through him. Thinking you were finally calm he had reached out to brush your hair from where it was plastered to your forehead. You had begun sobbing. “I’m sorry George.” Were the only words Finn had understood in the outpouring of grief he had witnessed before the doctor had made him leave, saying he was upsetting you.  

He pushes the door to your room open, nearly dropping the flowers when greeted by the sight of an enormous man receiving a sponge bath. “Fuck, sorry.” He says backing out of the room quickly. Turning on his heel he walks quickly the nurses’ station. “Where’s Anna?” He demands.

The nurse shakes her head slightly. “We have no patient by that name.”

“The fuck you don’t, Anna Hunter, she was in room 251 yesterday.” He says trying to stay calm.  

“I’m sorry I can’t talk about patients who may or may not be in our care.”

Finn was literally seeing red, panic rising in his chest. “Is she dead?”

The nurse looks at Finn with a withering glare. “We can only talk to family sir.”

“She doesn’t have any,” Finn replies helplessly

“I’m sorry sir.” The nurse waves at two orderly’s who come and escort Finn from the hospital.

Engulfed in fury and fear he doesn’t hear the young nurse until she grabs his sleeve “Mister Shelby.”

Finn turns to her “Yes.” The surprise of being called Mister Shelby softens his tone.

“I’m one of Daisy’s friends.” She says puffing having chased Finn across the lawn of the hospital

Finn looks at her more closely “Sarah right?”

“Yes,” She nods, “I think I know where she is.”

“Yeah, Daisy’s at home,” Finn says distractedly.

“No. The woman in room 251.” Sarah explains.

“Where?” Finn grabs her arms as if to prevent her from running away.

“I think, I mean they have taken her to the asylum. A doctor from there came yesterday to examine her and then she was gone.” Sarah says hopelessly.

\----------------

Finn burst into Tommy’s office “They’ve fucking taken her to the asylum.” Tommy and Polly look up from their paperwork.

“Who?” Tommy asks.

“Who?” Finn howls “Fucking Anna! Fucking George!” He slams his palm down on the table.

Arthur, Michael and John who had been in the office next door, join Finn in the doorway.

“What’s wrong little brother.” John teases an automatic reflex to seeing his brother so wound up.

Finn grabs John’s waistcoat at his shoulders, and slams him against the door frame “They have taken fucking Anna to the nuthouse.”

Tommy is now standing, hands open, “Well maybe it’s for the best Finn.” He says calmly.

Finn releases John, turning on Tommy, face scarlet with rage “How would you fucking know? Not once have you been to see her! She fucking saved your life, Arthur’s life, stopped Linda from being raped. She fucking protects this family like it’s her fucking own and you won’t even visit her in the fucking hospital. She’s only there because she was nearly fucking gutted trying to protect your fucking horses. The horses you’ve been to visit three times in the month she’s been doped out of her brain in that fucking hospital.”

The brothers, Polly and Michael are struck dumb by Finn’s outburst. Finn glares at all of them, taking their silence as indifference he continues “You’re a fucking hypocrite Tommy. You say all of this,” he gesticulates wildly around him “all the killing, all the violence is for the family. But she’s protected this family with her fucking life and you won’t lift a finger to help her when she can’t help herself. Fuck you, Tommy.” He spits.

Finn tries to leave but Arthur claps his hand on the back of his neck, pulling him into an embrace. “We know brother. You’re right, she has looked after us.” He presses his forehead to his youngest brothers.

Finn looks at his eldest brother desperately. “It’s the morphine, Arthur. She doesn’t want it. She said it made her see things. She’s terrified. She was seeing people who weren’t there. Some bloke called Victor and then she thought I was someone else.” Thoughts fall from Finn’s mouth haphazardly, as he tries to convince his brother of the peril he senses you are in. “She thinks no one will ever love her because of what she’s done for us.  She doesn’t have anyone. She’s an orphan, like us.” He looks into Arthur’s eyes “She told me we were lucky because we have each other. She’s got no one, Arthur. We have to save her. She’s not mad.” He pleads.

Tommy, expression dark, has crossed the room during Finn’s impassioned plea. Grabbing his jacket, overcoat and cap from the coat rack, he puts his hand on Finn’s shoulder “Come on. Let’s go.” He looks around the Arthur, John and Michael. “Fucking all of you. Let’s go.”

Doctor Brown damn near pissed his pants at the sight of the Peaky Blinders teeming out of cars in the driveway of his Institute. He called his orderly’s telling them to prevent anyone from entering the building and then phoned the local constabulary demanding a force be sent immediately. By the time he was making his way downstairs, the orderly’s were all sitting bloodied and bruised on the floor.

“My name is Doctor Brown and I run this Institute. What in God’s name is going on here?” He demands from halfway down the staircase.

Tommy stepped forward holding out his hand “Thomas Shelby.”

“I have called the police.” Doctor Brown replies, not descending any further and ignoring Tommy’s offered hand.  

“Where is she?” Finn demands, stepping forward, pulling his gun from its holster.

Doctor Brown looks at Tommy as if expecting him to intercede. Tommy stands impassively, seemingly not paying the slightest attention to his brother. “Who?” Doctor Brown says distastefully.

“Anna. Miss Anna Hunter. She was a Birmingham Hospital yesterday when I left at three o’clock in the afternoon and this morning, at ten, she was gone and I was told she was brought here.” Finn says voice even and strong, lifting the gun to aim between the Doctor’s eyes.

“We have taken on no new patients today.” Doctor Brown says with finality.

“Fuck this,” Arthur says moving across the hall to the locked doors leading to the wards. He kicks the door open shattering the lock. “Right then. Fucking spread out and find her.” He yells back to his family. Finn, John and Michael join him striding down the hallways guns drawn. Tommy remains in the foyer watching Doctor Brown. Hands clasped in front of him, watching calmly.

“Fuck!” John exclaims “I’ve fucking found her.” He yells out into the hall. By the time Finn arrives John has undone the straps tying you to the bed and wrapped a sheet around you to cover your nakedness. Finn bends down over you stroking your hair and speaking softly to you. You don’t respond, not conscious.  

Arthur picks up your hand and holds it in the air, then release’s it and it flops back to the mattress. He shakes your shoulder “Anna, love. Come on wake up!” He says loudly. Lightly slapping your face. You don’t respond. “She’s fucking drugged.” He concludes, eyes blazing.

Finn scoops you up in his arms and begins to carry you down the hall. Tommy sees him approaching and pulls off his overcoat laying it over you and tucking it into Finn’s hands. “Put her in the car Finn. I’ll be out in a minute.” He instructs.

John, Arthur and Michael, join him in the hall. “She was fucking naked, Tommy,” John says quietly voice tight, eyes darting to the door to make sure Finn is out of earshot. “There’s a lot of blood,” he pauses not wanting to say the words “between her legs.”

“Fuck ‘em!” Arthur explodes.

Tommy’s jaw tenses and his eyes flash. “I’m taking Anna and Finn to Arrow House. John, Arthur, you lot stay here and find out what they’ve given her and what the fuck happened to her. Michael, call Mary and tell her we’re coming. Tell her to make up a room for Anna and to call the Doctor. Call the cops, get them to work out who else is here who fucking shouldn’t be.” Tommy turns and walks away, as he reaches the bottom of the stairs he looks up at Doctor Brown “Tell ‘em the people here are now under the protection of the Peaky fucking Blinders.”

Tommy slides into the front seat of the car and looks over at you and Finn on the back seat. Finn is holding on to you for dear life. He’s struggling to stop your unconscious body from simply sliding to the floor. Finn is pale, “She’s bleeding Tommy.” He says as he pulls back the sheet and Tommy’s coat, carefully so as not to expose you, showing Tommy the bloodstained bandages wrapped around your stomach.

Tommy reaches out and grabs his brother’s hand, holding his gaze “She’ll be alright now, Finn. We’ve got her now.”


End file.
